Broadcasting
DSTV Subscribers Mull Lawsuit over Subscription Regime, Others
Subscribers of DSTV, the Pay TV service operated by Multichoice, have threatened to institute a class action suit against the South African company for allegedly burdening them with unfair tariff regime and poor services.
The subscribers also accused the company of exploitative and discriminatory tariff unlike what obtains in its home country, South Africa.
Chuks Pinnwa, a lawyer, said a number of the company subscribers are massing against the company and that a class action lawsuit is efficient way to achieve justice for the large number of people.
Pinnwa also berated the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) the apex regulatory body of broadcasting in Nigeria and Consumer Protection Council (CPC) for not doing enough to protect the interest of subscribers.
“In organized societies and even in South Africa where Multichoice came from, there are law and order; we cannot continue to wait for these regulators who are busy doing nothing when Nigerians are subjected to substandard services and world’s most unfriendly tariff” Pinnwa added.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that class action lawsuits are increasingly becoming very efficient in getting companies to pay for negligence of the service or unfair practices.
Subscribers are also asking Multichoice, the near monopoly Pay TV operator to introduce the pay-as-you-go subscription to allow them get value for their money; give them an option of choice; as well as enable them control their consumption.
Only recently too, Consumer Protection Council (CPC) lent its voice and advised the cable television company to introduce pay-as-you-go subscription for its subscribers.
At a recent between the CPC, and management of DSTV, the council, said the time was ripe for the introduction of the pay-as-you-go subscription in the interest of millions of subscribers of the satellite television.
CPC sought to know the reason why this form of subscription could not be introduced in Nigeria as it has been done in other climes for the economic well-being of consumers.
Multichoice Nigeria Limited however said that the firm did not have the platforms to implement pay-as-you-go system of payment but promised to look into it.
Besides the suggested introduction of the pay-as-you-go subscription, the Council also canvassed for some form of compensation to subscribers for loss of transmission signals, usually experienced by them during adverse weather conditions, particularly rainy season, known as “rain fade”.
Also, MultiChoice had in August announced an upward review of its subscription fees and the subscription fees are: DStv Family, from N2, 800 to N3, 000; DStv Compact, from N4, 800 to N5, 000; DStv Compact Plus, from N7, 000 to N7, 500 and DStv Premium, from N10, 000 to N11, 000.
MultiChoice said the price increase had been necessitated by ongoing increases in the company’s operational and ancillary costs which include: content acquisition and development; technical infrastructure; satellite lease; facilities and maintenance.
University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, has officially banned skitmaking, content creation and other video recording activities within its campus and hostels without prior authorization.
Mrs. Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, head of Communication, UNILAG, in a statement, said that the ban followed growing concern over the increasing use of university facilities for unapproved video productions, including comedy skits, vox pops and film shoots.
“The attention of the University Management has been drawn to the rising use of the University premises, including hostels and other facilities, for shooting of films, videos, skits, and similar cinematographic activities without proper authorisation,” parts of the statement read.
According to UNILAG, the decision aims to safeguard the institution’s image, maintain decorum within the academic environment, and ensure that its premises are not misrepresented in online or public content.
The university emphasized that any individual, whether a student, staff member, or external party, must seek and obtain formal approval from the institution’s Communication Unit before carrying out any form of recording or production on campus.
While acknowledging the importance of creative expression and media engagement, UNILAG maintained that all such activities must comply with its established rules and procedures to preserve order and safety.
The statement also appealed to members of the university community and the general public to strictly adhere to the new directive “in the interest of order, safety, and collective responsibility”.
Multichoice Nigeria Limited has been been ordered by Lagos Court to pay damages for breaching consumer rights, in rulings hailed by regulators as victories for consumer protection.
In Lagos, the High Court presided over by Justice R. O. Olukolu awarded ₦5 million in damages against Multichoice for unlawfully disconnecting a paid DStv subscription belonging to Mr. Ben Onuora.
The court held that the disruption caused undue hardship to the subscriber and his family, and ordered the company to reconnect the service and extend the subscription to cover the lost period.
The judgment cited Sections 130, 136, and 142–145 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
Reacting to the judgments, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) described them as landmark decisions that reinforce Nigeria’s consumer protection framework.
In a statement signed by Mr. Ondaje Ijagwu, director of Corporate Affairs for Mr. Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman, FCCPC, said the rulings demonstrate the effectiveness of judicial enforcement under the FCCPA.
“These outcomes strengthen consumer confidence and marketplace accountability,” Bello said, commending the judiciary and encouraging consumers to continue seeking redress through lawful channels.
Between March and August 2025, the FCCPC facilitated recoveries exceeding ₦10 billion for consumers across 30 sectors, according to the Commission.
The FCCPC reiterated its commitment to promoting fair markets and protecting consumer rights nationwide.
MultiChoice Group is set to delist from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on December 10 2025, after Canal+ secured control of more than 90% of its shares, effectively completing its takeover of the African pay-TV giant.
The Group, in a notice to shareholders at the weekend, announced that trading of its shares on both the JSE and A2X will be suspended from Monday, October 27, 2025.
The official delisting date of December 10 is pending regulatory approvals from the JSE, A2X, and the Financial Surveillance Department of the South African Reserve Bank.
Canal+, a French media conglomerate and subsidiary of Vivendi, crossed the 90% shareholding threshold, enabling it to invoke Section 124(1) of South Africa’s Companies Act.
This legal provision allows Canal+ to compulsorily acquire all remaining MultiChoice shares from shareholders who did not accept its offer.
According to the notice, Canal+ will acquire the remaining shares on the same terms and offer price presented during the takeover bid.
“The Remaining MultiChoice Shareholders are reminded of their rights to apply to a court of competent jurisdiction within 30 business days after receiving the Notice in terms of section 124(2) of the Companies Act (“Section 124(2) Rights”).” The notice read.
If no legal challenges are raised, Canal+ will complete the compulsory acquisition six weeks after the notice date, finalising MultiChoice’s transition into a wholly owned subsidiary of the French media group.
The delisting will mark the end of MultiChoice’s 6-year presence on the JSE, where it was listed in 2019 following its spin-off from Naspers.
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